There are many integrated pest management practices or tactics throughout the world. The major IPM strategies are prevention, temporary alleviation, management of within-field populations, area-wide pest management, and eradication.
Prevention- This strategy prevents pest from establishing or arriving in an area that is currently not infested. Prevention can be used to control a spectific pest.
Temporary alleviation- This strategy uses specific control tactics and used in an area usually smaller than a field. It helps limit pest outbreaks.
Management of within-field population- This is the most current use of IPM. It is usually used when temporary alleviation is no longer providing stability in limiting the pests. The pest by this point is well established in an area.
Area-wide pest management- Most IPM practices are taken care of field-wide, but some may have to be dealt with regionally. This program or tactic requires the cooperation of people in th area affected by the pest.
Eradication- This is the elimination of the entire pest population from an area. It is only attempted under the gravest of circumstances.
Methods of Control
In order to try to control the pest population, and keep economic loss to a minimum, cost effective treatments are used wherever possible.
In some cases, crop rotation can be very effective, as constantly switching crops prevents a pest that targets one crop from getting out of hand. Keeping the food supply inconstant hinders the reproductive growth of the pest.
Crop rotation is not always possible or effective though, and pesticides or other treatments must be used in this case.
Integrated Pest Management Tactics
There are many integrated pest management practices or tactics throughout the world. The major IPM strategies are prevention, temporary alleviation, management of within-field populations, area-wide pest management, and eradication.
Prevention- This strategy prevents pest from establishing or arriving in an area that is currently not infested. Prevention can be used to control a spectific pest.
Temporary alleviation- This strategy uses specific control tactics and used in an area usually smaller than a field. It helps limit pest outbreaks.
Management of within-field population- This is the most current use of IPM. It is usually used when temporary alleviation is no longer providing stability in limiting the pests. The pest by this point is well established in an area.
Area-wide pest management- Most IPM practices are taken care of field-wide, but some may have to be dealt with regionally. This program or tactic requires the cooperation of people in th area affected by the pest.
Eradication- This is the elimination of the entire pest population from an area. It is only attempted under the gravest of circumstances.
Methods of Control
In some cases, crop rotation can be very effective, as constantly switching crops prevents a pest that targets one crop from getting out of hand. Keeping the food supply inconstant hinders the reproductive growth of the pest.
Crop rotation is not always possible or effective though, and pesticides or other treatments must be used in this case.
Photo by Stephen Ausmus.(http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/graphics/photos/dec04/k11622-1.htm)
Works Cited
Norris, R. F., Caswell-Chen, E. P., & Kogan, M. (2003). Concepts in Intergrated Pest Management. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.